The present invention relates to accessing data on computer networks, and more particularly to accessing such data via remote terminals.
Browsing the Internet and private Intranets via both personal computers and mobile telephones is common place. Typically, a user browses the Internet by connecting, via a telecommunications network to an Internet service provider (ISP). The ISP provides connection to the Internet, which allows the user to request data (for example, when an address or a hyperlink is followed), and allows the user to send data to an Internet site (for example, sending credit card details, personal preferences etc). Connection to an ISP is usually made through a telecommunications link which remains open whilst the user is browsing the Internet. The telecommunications link remains open even when the user is not actually sending or receiving data. For example, after a user has received a specific page from an Internet site, the connection is maintained even though the user may be reading that page. The connection is only terminated by the user at the end of a browsing session. Whilst the connection is maintained, a user is typically charged for the communications. Charges are typically levied either according to the length of time the telecommunications link remains open, or on the amount of data downloaded via the telecommunications network.
Browsing Internet sites consumes a large amount of bandwidth, since many Internet pages contain large amounts of high quality graphics and textual data. With personal computers, the bandwidth-hungry nature of browsing the Internet does not pose too much of a problem, since high speed modems and terminal adapters, such as ISDN, are readily and cheaply available. However, the bandwidth available to mobile users via Internet-enabled mobile phones and the like, using for example the GSM standard, is much more limited.
The arrival of the so-called third generation mobile phones will bring improvements in the available bandwidth, however the bandwidth will still be limited compared to that available for personal computer users.
Accordingly, one aim of the present invention is to improve browsing on mobile terminals.